Scolty Hill

Last weekend we had gorgeous weather. A virtual heat wave - it was about 63 degrees! The sun was shining. We had about 3 1/2 days of weather like that. Not a cloud in the sky, no rain. Most people will think that is no big deal but in Scotland it is a big deal! We may of just had our summer! It was an interesting site to see the locals reacting to this weather.

First there were traffic jams everywhere, except on the dual carriage way (freeway). People were fleeing to their favorite play areas. There was certainly no one commuting from work!

Second, clothes were being shed. Girls walking around in bikinis. Guys with their shirts off - think beer bellies! It is quite funny. On the local radio station the two guys who were broadcasting were making fun of Scots in warm weather. The comment was something like this, "Generally us Scots know how to dress. Everyone has a decent wardrobe. It maybe jeans and a t-shirt but we generally know how to dress . . . except when we have beautiful, sunshiny weather. You will see someone walking around with a tank top, shorts and black dress shoes! We don't know what to wear when it is warm. Sandals with socks! This should be seen only on a two year old. Seriously we need to go summer clothes shopping in a country where it is hot!" I just died laughing. I know this doesn't do it justice but it was funny.

Third, people flock out to the parks in droves. Every blanket is laid out in the sun. Mind you 63 degrees is not that hot, but when it is 10 to 20 degrees cooler on average it feels quite toasty. I don't know how I am going to cope with the heat of Utah when I go back. I will probably be walking around in a t-shirt, shorts and pumps! :)

On Saturday Bud got the idea we should go hike Scolty hill. It is just outside of the town we live in.

We packed a little picnic lunch and headed up the road. It was about a 10 minute drive. Scotland is very good about forestry. They are constantly planting and harvesting lumber.

Here is me in my famous floppy hat. All my adventures are taken with me in my floppy hat. It is the greatest for keeping the sun off.

Bud

The last 1/2 mile is up hill on a rocky trail! (All of Scotland is rocky - where do you think they got all that stone for the miles upon miles of stone fences!) This trail may not look that steep but it is steep. This is how Bud looked the whole way up! Stopped - waiting - go another 15 - 20 feet - wait - maybe go another 20 - 25 feet - wait! OKAY I KNOW I AM OUT OF SHAPE!!! But this was annoying. I kept telling him to keep going and I would be right behind him. He said, "That's okay. I'll wait. I am afraid if I go ahead you won't make it to the top." I made it to the top just fine. Also it wasn't as if I was stopping the entire way. I was just taking my time.

This is the Colonel Burnett Monument. The Burnett family were granted lands in our area by Robert the Bruce for their help in fighting the English. Crathes Castle is the Burnett estate.

Of course, I finally make it to the top of the hill and there is more to climb! I told Bud that I am going to take pictures of all the spiral staircases I climb in Scotland and do a blog about them. I hate them. They are at every historic site and usually they are very small and uneven and steep and sometimes I get a little dizzy climbing them - like the ones at the William Wallace Monument. (Think four stories of spiral stairs that are so small that if you meet someone going the opposite direction one of you has to go to the closest floor to let the other one by!)

Here is the view from the top of Scolty Hill looking at our little town Banchory.

I zoomed in a little closer.
We live by the bend in the river.
If you enlarged this picture you could see our rooftop -
if you knew what you were looking for.

And I zoomed even closer still!

Just another spectacular view.

I know it sounds like I was whining (but I was just being factual!) Bud and I very much enjoyed our hike and plan on doing a lot more. I told him we should hike this once a month until we can just breeze right on up there!

Crathes Castle Walk

After my tour of Crathes Castle Gardens,
I thought Bud should see it.
It is a nice little walk from our house
so yesterday after dinner we decided to walk over.

One of the formal sitting areas of the garden.

The shrubs are all in bloom all over the castle grounds.

We thought this tree was cool because it has
a hole in the middle of the trunk.

Crathes Castle

All over the grounds they have markers to tell about the various
varieties of botany specimens that are planted throughout the estate.

This tree was planted around 1860!

It is huge!

Look at how these branches grow downward.

This tree was also planted around 1860. It is a Redwood.

I dared Bud to look in this box . . . it is a dog poop deposit box.
I didn't really think he would . . . but you know Bud!

Crathes Castle Gardens

Yesterday, my friend Sydnie and I went to Crathes Castle.
The castle is about 3 miles from my house.
It was a gloriously beautiful day!
Sunny and warm!

The pond outside the grounds.

The reflections in the pond were so brilliant.

What a sight!

A self portrait.

A view from the castle tower

I still can't get over the "green-ness" of Scotland.

Don't you wish your backyard looked like this?

This is Sydnie. Her husband and Bud work in the same building.

The Laburnum flowers were sooo fragrant.

Who thought I would find Columbine in Scotland.
Columbine has been one of my favorite flowers
since I was a little girl. We would go camping in Colorado
and the columbine would be growing wild on the mountain side.

This tree's branches are all intertwined.

The lilacs were very fragrant.
In Utah around the corner from our house
was a whole row of lilac bushes.They were about a city block long.
When I would drive down that road in the springtime,
I would drive on wrong side of the road,
with my window down, head hanging outside the window,
trying to take in their scent. I love the smell of lilacs.

Oriental Poppy. Looks like the Scottish Thistle.

I would guess these are Blue Bells, but I don't know.

Lupines

See the bee in the lilacs?

Notice the fern growing on the base of the fountain?

Geranium

Bird of Paradise

Modern Plant Art?

A Succulent

Poppy

It was an absolutely beautiful day, in a beautiful place!
I think I will go again in a few weeks.
More flowers should be in bloom.
This was the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

Pizza Hut

Bud told me it was stupid to blog about Pizza.
Obviously I disagree.

The thing is - I miss American food.
Fast food, restaurants, grocery items . . .
i.e. Taco Bell, Cafe Rio, Costa Vida, Carl's Jr.,
Red Robin, PF Changs, Brick Oven, Pizza Factory, Joe Bandito's,
Corn Tortilla's, Corn Meal, Jello Chocolate Pudding, Cool Whip, etc.
(Let's not forget a nice grain fed Angus steak!)
You get the point.

The other night we went to the movie to see Star Trek. (It was alright, worth seeing but not as good as the older films.) The theater is down by the beach. They have T.G.I.F.'s and Pizza Hut. They also have a Mexican food restaurant. I can't say I really recognized their Mexican food! Won't be back there anytime soon.

We wanted to go to T.G.I.F.'s but the wait was too long. We decided to get "take away" at Pizza Hut. (Most restaurants don't do take out. It is nice to find one that does.) We heard it wasn't too bad. Bud ordered pineapple and Canadian bacon. I got a Supreme. Fifteen minutes into the drive home, Bud says, "Get us out a slice. It smells good." It was good! It wasn't quite as good as home but it was not that bad. I think the cheese is the difference.

Friday's is where we go when we are craving American food. Once again it isn't as good as Pizza Hut in the states but its not bad. I wanted to go to Friday's the other day but it was rush hour and it is on the other side of the rush. Bud offered to take me to one of the Scottish restaurants nearby. I declined. I wanted American food. The best American food I can get is in my own kitchen! I must say I enjoy my own cooking much more than I ever did in the states!

Just a side note, Bud and I also saw "Angels and Demons." We loved it. We hadn't read the book but the movie was great. I would recommend seeing it.